Half to geoege w



(No Model.)

M. B. HILL.. CURTAIN FIXTURE.

fessi'.

Patented Peb. 19

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON B. HILL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TQ GEORGE D. UPTON, OF SAME PLAGE.

FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION -forming part of' Letters Patent No. 293,963, dated February 19, 1884.

' Application led July 1, 1882. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom, it may concern:`

Be it known that I, MILTON B. HILL, of

Springfield, in the county of Hampden and Y struct a simple, cheap, and easily-operative lsectional view of the curtain-roller.

device 5 and I accomplish these objects by the construction herein shown.

In4 the accompanying drawings, in whichsimilar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 2 is a side elevation of the whole device arranged as a drop-fixture. Figs. 1 and 3 are end elevations of the same. Fig. 4 is a Figs. 5 and 6 are views of a drop-cord hook. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are views of device constructed to be used as aiiXed iiXture. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are views of a check hook or bracket for the drop-cords, and Figs. 13 and 14 represent a catch-button. Y 1 l The ordinary wooden roller. is used in my device except, instead of fastening the curtain toit in the ordinary manner, I cut a slit or groove andinsert the curtain therein, as is shown in Fig. 4. Tacks prevent the curtain being drawn from the slit.

The construction of my device will be readily understood on reference to the drawings.4

Figs. 1, 2, and 3 represent the device arranged as a drop-xture; and Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are illustrations of device for easily controlling the dropfcords.

Figs. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate the device when suspended fromsimple hooks. (Shown in Figs. 5 and 6.) The 4free end of the roller has bear "ing'in the hanger d, and is held in place by the enlarged head of the nail el, or bya split ring, d', being placed thereon.

a designates a suspension cord,A the lower end of which passes through a slot or opening in the upper portion of the hanger d, and is held in place by a spring, s, which bears against the cord on the inner side, and, while preventing its slipping, allows of its `easy adjustment, as hereinafter more fully stated. The ratchetdisk 7L may be rigidly attached to the roller; or it may be attached as illustrated in Fig. 8. The disk 7L revolves upon the pin i2, and is independent of the part Z, except that the covered frictioirspring a: bears against it sufficiently to prevent the roller from turning by the weight of the curtain. It will be seen that with this construction the curtain may be unrolled from the roller by being grasped and drawn downward, thus lowering the curtain Without using the roller-cord m. The hanger e has an opening or slot similar to the slot in the hanger d. The lower portion of these slots is open sufficiently to permit the suspension cords, with the end knotted, to pass through, while the upper portion is so contracted that the knot cannot pass. The hanger e is formed with the projecting or overhanging portion c', adapted to serve as a seat for the upper end of the spring g, hereinafter described as placed between this projection and the arm of the lever, pivoted to the ratchet-disk, and serving as the means for keeping the lever in engagement with the ratchet and to return it to that position after being disengaged. The suspension-cord a, being connected with the hanger d, passes throughva hook, c, which is fastened to the window-casing, then across the window through ahook,c2. Thesuspension-cordb,being connected with the hanger e, passes through the hook c2, and the two suspension-cords are j oined at or near their ends, so that in the manipula- 'tion they may be handled as one cord. The

button shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is secured to the window-casing, and the suspension-cords are wound therein. The wedge shape of the space between the parts c and w enable me to hold the cord securely with only one turn. If,

'h owever, the button and inconvenience attend-4 ing its use is objectionable, I substitute in place of the suspension -hook ci the guidebracket illustrated in Figs. 10, 1l, and 12, formed with the walls ,e 2, and to the bracket is pivotally secured a lever, substantially as shown, the upper arm, y, of which has its surfaces serrated, and projects inwardly between the walls z z of the bracket, so that a space shall be left between the surfaces ofthe wedgedshaped extension of the arm y and the inner faces of the walls sufficient to receive the suspension-cords, and the arm u of this pivoted lever is bent outward, and formed with a perforation to admit the'passage of the suspension-cord, in order that the desired operative effects may be attained.

It will be readily perceived that the weightof the curtain draws the cords inwardly, but that the wedged shape of the arm y, with its serrated surfaces, being in frictional Contact therewith, the cords become fast, and are held thereby; but further, to secure this desired and necessary result, I fix between the bracket and the long arm of the lever a spring, asY shown, which effectually and quickly forces the lever to its normal position when drawn from between the walls of the bracket. If it is desired to adj ust the length of the cord between the bracket and the roller of the curtain, a downward pull on the outside cords will draw the lever-arm y from between the walls, when the.desired adjustment may be accomplished, and,when attained, simply releasing the strain upon the outside cord will have the effect of bringing into action the reverse movement of the lever, which will wedge the cord against the walls and secure them in that position. As the suspension-cords are liable to stretch more or less, thus allowing one end of the roller to sag, and as it would be inconvenient to let out or take up the cords where they are joined, I provide one of the hangers with a spring, s, which bears upon the cord sufficiently to prevent slipping from the weight of the curtain and roller, or any strain that may be applied to it, and yet will allow of the easy movement of the cord in either direction when properly handled. The adjustment of this cord is made by taking hold'of the cord near the hanger and pulling it in the proper direction until it has been properly lengthened orshortened, where the spring will securely hold it.

The means for operating the curtain-roller comprise the curved lever f, which is pivoted to the hanger e at the point q, and has a tooth or pawl, 1", which engages with the teeth of the ratchet-disk h. A spring, g, arranged between the lever f and an overhanging portion of the hanger e, serves to hold the lever and its pawl r engaged with the ratchet-disk. The end of lever f extends, as shown, a considerable distance past the center of the ratchet-disk, and has an opening through which the cord m passes. The cord m is connected with the part Z, and, passing through the opening in the lever f, drops to a point where it can be conveniently reached. It will be seen that when the cord m is drawn taut the end of the lever is moved so that the pawl is carried away from the ratchet, thus allowing of the revolution of the roller in either direction. By properly manipulating this cord the pawl, is caused to engage with or release the ratchet-disk and the curtain moved at will, the motion depending on the strain applied to the cord.

If the device is used as aflxed fixture, then the construction is varied, as shown in Figs. 7, S, and 9, the hangers being fastened `to the casing by screws passing through the slot in the right-angular piece I?. A I am aware that curtain-fixtures have heretofore been made having a ratchet-disk and lever with pawl, wherein the engagement is effected by the weight of the lever or by a weight attached to the cord; but my improvement in this respect consists in'providing a spring rendering the action of the pawl positive; and it will be noted that the spring g is under strain only when the pawl is raised.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a curtain-fixture, the hanger e, formed with the projection c', the lever f, pivotally attached to the hanger, and having its free end projecting to carry the cord from a straight line, and provided with a pawl, 'r,

' spring g, ratchet-disk 7L, cylindrical portion Z,

arranged between the end of the roller and the ratchet-disk, a 'rollerhaving .a suitable hanger at its free end, and a cord passed through the free end of the lever and secured to the cylindrical portion, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a drop-curtain, the combination of two roller suspension cords, a b, a guidebracket formed with projecting walls for the cords, and a lever having one arm centrally disposed between the walls of the bracket, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A suspension-roller curtain having an end bar bearing-plate or hanger, provided with a cord-retaining spring and an aperture for the reception of the cord, as and for the purpose stated.

4. In a curtain-fixture, the combination of a suspended roller-curtain hanger, a projecting journal-bearing, and a friction washer or ring attached to the journal of the roller between the hangerand the head of the journal, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l 5. The combination of the hanger e, formed or provided with projection o', the ratchetdisk h, fixed to the journal-bar of the curtain-roller, the lever f, pivoted to the bracket, and formed or provided with a pawl adapted to engage with the ratchet-disk, and the spring g, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The bracket formed with the upwardprojecting walls z a, in combination with a le IOO IIO

ver pivotally attached thereto, and having the jeoted inward and centrally disposed between upper arm proj eeted inward and centrally disposed between said walls, and the lower arm provided with a perforation, substantially as 5 and for the purpose set forth.

. 7. The bracket formed with upward-projeoting walls z z, and a lever pivotally at- Itaehed thereto, having the upper arm prosaid walls7 in combination with a spring 1o adapted to sustain said lever in position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. MILTON B. HILL. Witnesses:

R. DEHUBERT, ALLEN WEBsTER. 

